This invention relates to placing telephone calls and, in particular, to placing telephone calls using a telephone number and an extension.
Systems for dialing a telephone number to place a call for a user are commonly available. These systems typically use a computer program to dial a telephone number that the user has entered or selected. Unfortunately, these systems do not work well for destinations that have a two part telephone number, such as a standard telephone number and an extension. These known systems do not understand what to do with an extension, if they are even able to detect it, and there are a variety of conditions that must be met before dialing the extension.
The present invention substantially reduces or eliminates at least some of the problems and disadvantages associated with previous systems for placing a telephone call. Accordingly, the present invention provides systems and methods for placing a telephone call using a telephone number and an extension that reduce required user input, decreasing the time, effort, and errors in placing a telephone call using a telephone number and an extension.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for placing a telephone call using a telephone number and an extension. The system includes an origination device that is operable to receive a telephone number and an extension associated with a destination device, initiate the establishment of a communication path to the destination device by issuing the telephone number, determine whether a condition to issue the extension has been satisfied, and issue the extension to complete the establishment of the communication path if the condition has been satisfied. The system also includes a communication network coupled to the origination device. The communication network is operable to receive the telephone number, establish contact with the destination device based on the telephone number, receive the extension, and route the extension to the destination device. The system further includes the destination device. The destination device includes a first destination device coupled to the communication network and a plurality of second destination devices coupled to the first destination device. The first destination device is operable to be contacted through the communication network based on the telephone number, to receive the extension through the communication network, and to complete the establishment of the communication path based on the extension by selecting the appropriate second destination device to which to place the telephone call.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for placing a telephone call using a telephone number and an extension. The method includes receiving a telephone number and an extension associated with a destination device at an origination device, initiating the establishment of a communication path to the destination device by issuing the telephone number to a communication network. The method also includes receiving the telephone number at the communication network and establishing contact with a first destination device of the destination device through the communication network based on the telephone number. The method further includes determining at the origination device whether a condition to issue the extension has been satisfied and issuing the extension to complete the establishment of the communication path if the condition has been satisfied. The method also includes receiving the extension at the communication network, routing the extension to the first destination device through the communication network, receiving the extension at the first destination device, and selecting the appropriate one of a plurality of second destination devices coupled to the first destination device to place the telephone call to based on the extension to complete the establishment of the communication path based on the extension.
The present invention has several important technical features and advantages. To begin, the origination device is able to recognize when an extension is associated with a telephone number and provide options for issuing the extension. By recognizing an extension and providing options for issuing the extension, the origination device provides accurate issuance of the telephone number and extension, which reduces user input errors and effort in placing telephone calls. Further, the origination device provides efficient electronic issuance of the telephone number and extension. The origination device also offers efficient issuance of the extension for certain destination devices by automating the issuance of the extension in response to a triggering event, relieving the user of the origination device from performing the function.
Other technical features and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, description, and claims.